Carbonator



wherein:

Patented Djec. 1, 1942 2,303,716

Unirse STATES .graaf *rica CARBONATOR Charles E. Arndt, Wonder Lake, Ill., assignor to The Bastian-Blessing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois e Application January 19, 1940, Serial No. 314,675

8 Claims. (Cl. 10S- 25) This invention relates to a fluid level control. which is controlled by a valve within a housing- In the particular form here shown, it is applied I1, which valve is controlled by a handwheel I8. to a carbonator which comprises a container for I9 is the outlet pipe for carbonated water. It is liquid to be carbonated and means for carbonatbroken away, as shown in Figure 1, and may be ing the liquid in the container, together with a 5 connected to any desired source forutilizing the control responsive to variations in the level of carbonated liquid. Liquid enters the pump liquid within the container. One object of the through the connection 29 from any suitable invention is to providea visual gauge in combisource. Within a housing ZI there may be nation with a liquid level responsive contact mounted a strainer and air chamber for the assembly. Another object is to provide a non- 10 pump inlet, if desired.

metallic combined liquid level contact assembly 22 is a connector communicating with the inand gauge glass construction. terior of the tank as shown in Figures 1 and 2./

Other objects will appear from time to time in It communicates, also, with the base member 23 the specification and claims. of thecombined gauge and contact housing. A

The invention is illustrated more or less dial5 gaS inlet pipe .24 may, 2150. be COIIDBC'Ged 150 the grammatically in the accompanying drawings, member 22, and through it gas enters the tank from any suitable source. A pipe or connection Figure 1 is a side elevation in perspective of 25 may be provided to a safety valve, not shown, oneform of a carbonator to which the structure if'SuCh a Valve iS desired in the assembly.

of the present invention is applied. .20 A second connection 26 communicates with the Figure 2 is a transverse vertical cross section interior of the'tank, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, taken on an enlarged scale at line 2-2 of Figand communicates with-an upper gauge housing ure 1. member 21. Joining the two gauge housing Figure 3 is a transverse horizontal section taken members 23 and 21 are bars or protection memon a further enlarged scale at line 3--3 of Fig- 25 bers 28 which surround and protect a gauge glass ure 2. 29. This gauge glass may, of course, be of glass Figure 4. is a schematic wiring diagram illusor any other suiciently strong and transparent trating an electric circuit suitable for use in conmaterial. Removably positioned within the housnection with the contacts of the present invening member 21 is a contact' supportingv member tion. 30 30 which' is formed of insulating material or Like parts are designated by like characters may be of any material provided itis insulated throughout the specication and the drawings. from the housing member Z'Ifand provided that As shown in Figure 1, the carbonator comit furnishes insulating supports for the contact prises a tanklike member I which may be of members 3l and 32, which are, respectively, the single or double Wall construction. The particushort and the long contacts. rI'hese contacts are lar details of the carbonator form no essential connected to wires or conductors 33 and 34, which part of the present invention, which is not pass, rst, through a hollow housing member 35,

limited in its use to the application to a carwhich may have a removable closure plug 35. bonator. The details of the carbonator are illus- Thence, the wires or conductors 33 and 34 pass trated only in so far as is necessary to indicate "40 through an armored conduit or tube 3,1 to a conthe use of the present invention. The cartrol housing 38 within which are provided an bonator may be secured to a base 2 which has a automatic electric switch and associated control ange 3 for contact with a suitable oor or parts by means of which the motor is caused to foundation to which it may be secured, if destop andstart, ywhen desired, in response'to sired. A motor 4 may be mounted on the car- 45 variations in the uid level, as will be described bonator and by means of a V-belt 5 drives a below. Conductors pass from the housing 38 grooved pulley 6 which is secured on a shaft I and controls located in it through a tube or concarried in suitable bearings 8, 8, from supports 9. duit 39 to a connection housing te in which An eccentric I0 mounted on the shaft 'I operates connections are made to the motor. A manual by means of a cross'head II the piston I2 of a 50 emergency cutout switch member 6l may, vif pump enclosed within a housing I3. Water leaves desired, be provided on the outside of the housthe pump through the pipe Id which, at its lower ing 38.

end, enters the tank I and may have a carbonator I shall now describe the schematic wiring dialine inlet check valve within a housing I5. Cargram of Figure 4. Electric current is supplied bonated water leaves through a connection I6 55 through wires or conductors lI2 and 43, which are connected to the switch 4|, and from which corresponding wires 44 and 45 lead. The wire 44 is connected to the motor from which a wire 46 leads to one of the contacts 41 of a relay switch 48. 49 is a second contact on the switch 48 to which the wire 45 is connected by a wire 58. The relay switch 48 is connected by a spring 5I to insulation 52 which is mounted on an armature 53 which is pivoted as at 54 on any suitable base; actually, it is, of course, within the housing 38. Pivoted as at 55 on the armature 53 is a contact to a portion 58 which forms a part of the contact member 56 and is secured on a base 59. The

spring tends, when free to do so,l to hold the armature 53 down and to prevent the contact member 56 from making any contact and to center the contact member 56. Positioned to be contacted by the contact member 56 are the two branches 68 and 6| of a combined relay and transformer. a cone 62 and by a second core B3. About the core 62 is positionedl a coil 64 which, at one end, is grounded on the frame as at 65. At its other end, the coil 64 is connected by a wire or conductor 66 to one contact 61 of a switch. This contact 61 is also connected to the wire 34 from the contact member 3|. A second contact 68 is connected by a wire 33 to the contact member 32. 69 is a contact member positioned to make contact with the contacts 61 and B8 simultaneously. The contact member 69 is mounted on an arm 18 which is mounted on insulation 1| which itself isl carried on the insulation 52 and, thus, is supported by and arranged to move With the armature 53.

AboutV the core 63 is mounted the primary coil 12 of the transformer. One end of this coil is connected by a wire 13 with the wire 4'5, and the other end is connected by a wire 14 with the wire 44. Thus, the transformer coil is energized so long as the switch 4l is in the closed position and irrespective of the position of any of the other contacts.

The operation of the circuit indicated in Figure 4 is as follows: I

It is assumed that the apparatus is in use and that the master switch 4| is closed. Thus, current is supplied to the transformer. Some liquid is in the system. y motor will be running and the watel` level within the gauge glass 29 may be either belowand out of contact with the contact 3 2 or it may be above its lower edge and short of the lower end of this contact 3|. ing in this position and the motor will be running because switch member 48 is in the position shown in Contact with the contacts 41 and 49.

If the water now rises until it contacts the contact 3|, the circuit will be completed through that contact and the wire 34 to the contact member 61. The connection is then through the water and through the ground 65 to the relay coil 84, thus, energizing the relay, raising the armature 53 and bringing the contact member 56 into contact with the branches 68 and 6|. When that happens, the switch 48 is moved out of contact with the contacts 41 and 49 and breaks the motor circuit and stops the motor, thus putting the pump out of operation and stopping the input of liquid into the tank I. At the same time that the contact is broken at switch 48, the arm 18 moves to the right from the position of Figure 4. and brings the contact 89 into contact with the members 61 and 68. The circuit is now In the position shown, the 1.-,

It is assumed that the water is risi These branches are connected by gauge glass.

through the member 3|, the wire 34, the wire 66, the coil 64 and ground 65 and through the water which is also grounded, and, thus, makes a connection with the contact 3|. The water level will normally now begin to decline because the liquid will be drawn oi for use. When it has declined so that the level in the gauge glass 29 is below the bottom end ofthe contact 3|, the motor will still not be started because the liquid remains in contact with the contact 32 and the `circuit is, thus, through the member 32, the wire 33, contact 68, across the member 69 to the contact 61, through the wire 66, to the coil 64 and the ground 65, and through the water in the If the level of liquid now finally declines below the bottom of the contact 32, the circuit is broken, the coil 64 is de-energized, the armature 53 falls, the member 58 is moved out of contact with the members 60 and 6I, the member 69 is moved out of contact with the members 61' and 88, the member 48 is brought into contact with the members 4-1 and 49; the motor circuit is, thus, recompleted, the motor starts again, starting the pump andA commencing again to introduce fluid into the tank l. This operation will continue in response. to fluctuation in the uid level within the tank just aslong as the master switch 4I is in the closedf position. The purpose of the twocontacts 3| and 32and the reason for having them of different lengths is to prevent constant off-and-on movementsl of the motor and to give a longer period afterg the motor has once been shut olf before it starts again, and, also, to give a longer period after thev motor has started before it is cut off.

An additional conductor 15 may, if desired, be inserted Within the gauge glass and preferably. if it is used, it will be fairly close tothe longer contact 32. The purpose of such an. additional contact is to shorten the water gap through which current passes.

Although there is shown an operative form of the device, it will be understood that many changes in the form, shape and arrangement of parts might be made without departing from the spirit of this invention, and it is wished that the showing be taken as, in a sense, diagrammatic.

The particular details of the electricmechanism forming the automatic motor control form no essential part of the present invention and have been described only suiciently to ex-plain the operation of the device. Other electrical mechanisms could be used and that illustrated and described is availableon the market commercially. The particular contacting" mechanism and the combination of the two contacts of diierent length in the liquid and the combination of the contacts with a non-metallic transparent gauge glass are important features of the present invention which could, of course, be uti'- lized in many other connections where a gauge glass and level responsive electrical contacts are desirable.

The use and operation of this invention are as follows:

The opera-tion of the electric circuit has been described above. In general, the machine is used tocarbonate liquid. Water, or whatever liquid is to be carbonated, is brought into the tank, gas is introduced, carbonation is effected and the carbonated fluid is withdrawn. Almost inevitably there will be fluctuations in the level of liquid within the tank and if, noautomatic control were provided, the machine might run dry, might get too full, and, for that reason. the

automatic -control above described is advantageous. Ordinarily, when the machine is to be used, it will be put into operation at the beginy,ning of a day by moving the master switch 4| to the closed position, and this switch will remain closed so long as the machine is to be used and the automatic control will act to start and stop the motor4 and, thus, to start and stop the introduction of fluid' into the tank.

Should either of the members 3| and 32 become bent so that they contact the gauge glass lZL'no harm will result because that member is made of glass or other relatively transparent and non-conductive material. Should the gauge glass or the container within which the contacts 3| and 32 are mounted be made of metaLthen should one of the contacts r.be bent or displaced .so as to, come in contact with the metal shell, a short circuit would result and the motor would be shorted out and damage might result until the particular trouble should have been located and repaired. With the use of a non-conductive gauge glass, this sort of trouble cannot occur, and, hence, by combining the liquid contact members 3| and 32 with the gauge glass and within that glass, the device is simplified and its operation is made additionally safe because the possibility of shorting is eliminated.

I claim:

1. In a carbonator having a container and means for moving liquid to said container and for discharging it therefrom, electric control means for said liquid moving means and automatic water level, responsive means for actuating said control means, said automatic means including a combined gauge glass and contact housing, said gauge glass comprising a transparent wall member formed of insulating material, there being a plurality of electrical contacts mounted at opposite ends and within said gauge glass and in electrical connection with said control means, one of said last mentioned contacts extending farther toward the bottom of said gauge glass than the other, and a third contact positioned at the bottom of and Within sight through said gauge and closer to one of said first mentioned contacts than to the other.

2. In a carbonator having a container formed of electro-conductive material, the combination of means for moving liquid to said container and for discharging it therefrom, electric control means for said liquid moving means and automatic water level, responsive means for actuating said control means, said automatic means including a combined gauge glass and contact housing, said gauge glass comprising a transparent wall member formed of insulating material, there being a plurality of electrical contacts mounted within said gauge glass and in electrical connection with said control means, one of said last mentioned contacts extending farther toward the bottom of said gauge glass than the other, and a iixed third contact positioned within said gauge at the bottom thereof and closer to one of said first mentioned contacts thanto the other.

3. In a carbonatorhaving a tank, means for supplying the tank With Water and carbon dioxide under pressure to form carbonio acid, including a motor driven pump, the combination of a gauge glass, a hollow housing means secured to the tank at spaced points to support the glass at opposite ends thereof in open communication with the tank above and below a predetermined level and permitting the level of carbonic acid in the gauge glass toassumethe 4level of the carbonio acid'in the tank,'an insulating member supported inone of the housing means, electrode elements extending from the insulating member and terminating at dierent levels in the gauge glass, a third electrode supported upon the other hollow housing and terminating a spaced distance from the lower'of said electrode elements, said carbonio acid comprising an electro-conductive element bridging the electrodes in relation to the level'of the` acid in the tank, 'a control means for the `motor operated by said electrodes, andan acid 'bridge to maintain the level of acid in the tankA between-predetermined tank and means therein for carbonating the water, said`control comprising a transparent gauge glass formed of insulating material, hollow housing means secured one to each end of said gauge glass, said housing means formed of electrically conductive material, means for connecting the gauge glass to the interior of the storage tank including fiuid passageways through said housing means, electrical contact elements mounted upon said housing means Within and visible-through said gauge glass, one of said contact elements extending farther toward the bottom of the gauge glass than the other and a normally submerged third contact element mounted on the bottom one of said housing means and positioned to extend up within said gauge glass and adjacent but separated from one of said first mentioned pair of contacts, said last mentioned contact being in electrical conductive relation with respect to the said one housing member upon which it is mounted.

5. In a liquid carbonator having a liquid container formed of electro-conductive material to store carbonated water and means for moving liquid into said container for carbonation, the combination of an automatic level responsive control for said liquid moving means comprising a transparent gauge glass formed of non-conductive material and being in communication with the interior container at vertically spaced points, a plurality of electric contact members rigidly mounted Within said gauge glass, one of said contact members extending farther toward the bottom of said glass than the other, a contact element disposed in close proximity to the lower one of said electric contact members, and an electric conductive means leading from said contacts. V

6. In a carbonator having a container and means for moving Water and carbon dioxide into said container, an automatic level responsive control for said water moving means comprising a gauge glass formed of non-conductive'material and being in communication with the interior of said container, a plurality of electric contact members lxedly mounted upon an insulating member secured at one end of said gauge glass with the contact members extending downwardly into said gauge glass, one of said contact members extending farther toward the bottom of said glass than the other, an electric conductive means leading from said contact and a third contact grounded on said housing and positioned in sight within said gauge glass and closer to one of said first mentioned contacts than to the other to cooperate With said closer contact through a bridge of carbonated Water.

7. In a carbonator having a liquid container and means for moving liquid into said container,

'an automatic control for governing said means in relationship to the level of liquid in the container comprising a transparent gauge glass formed of non-conductive material and being in communication with the interior of said container at vertically 4spaced points above and below the predetermined level of liquid in the container, a plurality of electric contact members mounted within said gauge glass, one of said concontacts than the other to cooperate therewith through a'bridge of carbonated water.

8, In a carbonator having a container for storing carbonated water, the combination of means for removing water into said container and carbonating it, electrical control means for said water moving means, and an automatic water level responsive means for actuating said control means, said automatic means including a combined gauge glass and contact housing, said gauge glass comprising a. transparent wall member formed of insulatingmaterial, a plurality of electrical contacts mounted at opposite ends and extending toa point in sight withnksaid' gauge glass and in electrical connection With said Acontrol means, one of said last mentioned contacts having a lower point of contact with theliquid in the gauge glass than the other, and another contact disposed at the bottom of the gauge glass within sight through the gauge glass for cooperating with said lower contact. through a bridge of liquid in said gauge glass and means for injecting carbonio gas into said container.

CHARLES E. 

